The Note Series Returns With A Bang

To say that Samsung had a tough time with the Galaxy Note 7 last year would be an understatement. The phone was blowing up, literally, by catching fire due to defective batteries. Initially, Samsung tried to replace a few units, however; the company had to eventually recall almost 3 million units leading to the biggest disasters in the history of smart phones. It was an irony, especially because at the time of its release, Note 7 was the best Android Smartphone available on the market. The entire fiasco was a huge blow for Samsung but the company did recover with the excellent Galaxy S8 and S8 plus earlier this year. A launch of the 6.2-inch Galaxy S device fueled a lot of speculation that we would no longer see a Galaxy Note device from the South Korean based manufacturer. Despite all the rumors, not only is the Note series back but it is back with a bang.

Earlier in the week, Samsung announced the latest Note device during its unpacked event in London. The Galaxy Note 8 had been leaked extensively yet, there was still a lot of excitement for the official launch. According to Samsung, the company was very passionate about the Note series. Due to the controversy last year, Samsung wanted to deliver a phablet which would finally address the needs of the users who need a big screen and enjoy the flexibility of the S Pen. And judging by the overall look and specifications of the Smartphone, it seems like Samsung has an ace up its sleeve. When it comes to design, the new device adopts most of the elements of its Galaxy S8 siblings. It features a blend of metal and glass on the sides and back. Similarly, the infinity display also makes a return; however, the phones feature tighter edges giving it a boxy look to make it slightly different from the oval shaped Galaxy S8. The stretched aspect ratio makes the phone easier to use with one hand. About the only complaint with the phone’s design is the placement of the fingerprint scanner. Like the Galaxy S8, it’s impossible to locate the scanner and at the same time, it is very easy to smudge the camera. The only saving grace is the Iris scanner and the face-unlock option which gives the users plenty of options to choose from.

In terms of specifications; the Note 8 is very similar to the Galaxy S8 plus. The phone features an Octa core processor along with 6 GB Ram and storage options of 64, 128 and 256 GB. What do these specifications mean in real world use? Well, with an Octo core processor and 6 GB Ram, we can expect the Note 8 to feature buttery smooth performance. Apps will open faster; multitasking will be easier and playing graphic intensive games will be a delight. Especially with the gigantic display, which leads us to the biggest talking point of the phone; at 6.3 inches with Quad HD resolution and curved edges, the display technology is perhaps the best Samsung has ever shipped in a phone. Likewise, the phone also features a 12 MP primary camera and an 8 Megapixel Selfie shooter.

With such identical specifications, many people might wonder; what is the difference between S8 Plus and Note 8. First and foremost, the Note 8 features an optically stabilized dual camera. This is the first time we will see dual optical stabilization on a phone which will make the shooting experience significantly superior. The second major difference between the two phones; is the S Pen. Of course, it is a Note device so an S pen will be part of the package. While it is possible to buy a stylus for the Galaxy S8 devices, the software features of the S Pen are restricted to the Note series. A new addition to the S Pen software suite is the live message which the users can send in the form of a GIF. Additionally, the S Pen is also water proof now. It is important to realize that none of these features will matter if your phone falls asleep before you do. With the battery of the Note 8 clocking at just 3300 mAh, this is one area in which the new Samsung device disappoints.

With so many features the Note 8 packs enough to please the fans of the series and attract the attention of the power users. When Samsung first launched the original Galaxy Note, it created a whole different category in the world of mobile phones. Seven years later the latest Note device features top of the line specifications, great software features and a dual camera set up which cannot be found on any other device. After a bump on the road last year, the Note 8 signals the return of the Note series in its full glory.

Abdul Basit Yousuf, a guy with two girlfriends; technology and cricket. He is an ambitious person working day and night, possessing exceptional marketing ideas. All the content and articles you see on screen have his direction at the back. He is also one of the founding members of this website and is obsessed with making GenY the best content based website in Pakistan, He believes, “You can, because you think You Can”